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Care tips for Natural Bamboo Products

Your natural bamboo product is raw + free of harsh chemicals + toxins commonly used to seal wood products. Like any untreated wood, your bamboo product will need a little TLC to protect and ensure its longest possible life.

We recommend you care for your bamboo product using the following tips:

Oil up your new ‘boo by seasoning it with kitchen oil as soon as it arrives.
Oil seasoning is the safest way to create a naturally protective base seal for any raw wood product. This traditional method was used for years before today’s harsh industrial chemical sealants were introduced. We recommend oiling/seasoning your bamboo once a day for 7 straight days with an ample amount of food-grade oil: walnut, coconut, flax/linseed or olive oil all work great. We don’t recommend mineral oil because it’s petroleum based… yuck!). You will only need to maintenance season on occasion after the initial oiling period. Know that you can use your product anytime during this seasoning process.

Always stand your ‘boo up (on edge) after washing or oiling.
Whether you’ve just oiled or washed your bamboo, it’s best to let it dry standing on edge. If you’ve just washed it, the water can run off the sides (rather than soaking in). If you’ve just oiled it, the oil can be absorbed rather than wiped off.

Don’t soak your ‘boo… or run it through the dishwasher!
You really don’t want to run your bamboo through the dishwasher. Trust us on this one. To clean, simply wash with a non-abrasive dishcloth, warm water, and gentle dish soap. Let air dry (standing up).

Gently “love up” your ‘boo with a little oil when it feels dry or rough.
When you notice your bamboo feeling dry or rough, it’s probably time for a quick TLC oil seasoning. Frequent conditioning will keep the surface seal of your bamboo in tip-top shape and ensure that it doesn’t get too dry, which could promote separation of the naturally compressed slats or fibers.

Got Bamboo Splinters?

The tiny fibers you may notice on your new bamboo product are actually typical prior to the oil seasoning process.

Bamboo is a naturally fibrous, hard grass material. We don’t use harmful surface sealants, chemicals or lacquers that would come in contact with your food. As such, the stray fibers can be a natural characteristic of the raw, untreated bamboo until it’s seasoned (per directions, above).

A few oil seasonings will help these stray fibers lay flat and provide a protective seal that ensures the longest possible lifespan of your product.